WP Rear shock service

Rickyisms
Profile picture for user Rickyisms
Posts
4222
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
Rickyisms
Edited Date/Time 6/14/2021 12:38pm
Looking to service my shock for the first time on my own. I had it done about 40 or so hours ago by a local shop but would like to save some coin and do it myself. Just questioning on what should be replaced while I am in there. Are the parts in the box all I should replace along with the bumper? Should I go with WP parts or SKF seals? I have used SKF many times in my forks and have always been impressed.
1
|
slipdog
Profile picture for user slipdog
Posts
10044
Joined
7/25/2009
Location
Nor Cal, CA US
slipdog 5/29/2021 3:04pm
5/29/2021 3:04pm
Absolutely replace the piston band and o-ring. I think you can only get the entire piston from the fiche but SDI sells the o-ring and band separately.
3
Rotaholic
Profile picture for user Rotaholic
Posts
1419
Joined
4/2/2013
Location
NZ
Rotaholic 5/30/2021 3:38am
5/30/2021 3:38am
Skf seal head, mx tech piston band, ktech bladder kit and 21 valving stack.
1
Rickyisms
Profile picture for user Rickyisms
Posts
4222
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
Rickyisms 5/30/2021 6:46pm
5/30/2021 6:46pm
Rotaholic wrote:
Skf seal head, mx tech piston band, ktech bladder kit and 21 valving stack.
What does the 21 valving stack do for the performance? What’s the difficulty on the installation of it? Never messed with a shock.
1
Rotaholic
Profile picture for user Rotaholic
Posts
1419
Joined
4/2/2013
Location
NZ
Rotaholic 5/30/2021 6:59pm
5/30/2021 6:59pm
It is just a revised setting that should be an upgrade, but it may not suit your weight, speed, spring rate. There are some really good videos on youtube to rebuild these shocks and they're super easy to work on.

I think there are only 3 shims on the comp stack that are needed to update the settings. Here are the build sheets.

2019 WP Shock
https://www.ktmshop.se/bike-manuals/Federbein_18187S09_-_de-en.pdf

2021 WP Shock
https://www.ktmshop.se/bike-manuals/SL_18187U09_a_de-en.pdf
3

The Shop

See All »
Bruce372
Profile picture for user Bruce372
Posts
6341
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
Bruce372 5/30/2021 7:32pm
5/30/2021 7:32pm
The biggest pain in servicing that shock is re gassing it
FGR01
Profile picture for user FGR01
Posts
5112
Joined
10/1/2006
Location
AZ US
Fantasy
1222nd
FGR01 5/31/2021 9:49am
5/31/2021 9:49am
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks replace the piston setup with a bladder on first rebuild.
2
PTshox
Profile picture for user PTshox
Posts
1350
Joined
10/1/2011
Location
Highland Village, TX US
PTshox 5/31/2021 2:44pm
5/31/2021 2:44pm
FGR01 wrote:
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks...
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks replace the piston setup with a bladder on first rebuild.
EXZACTLY... )
Austin_Rankin 5/31/2021 9:04pm
5/31/2021 9:04pm
yea pretty sure you would know thus info @rickysims since your the CEO of ktm?
2
Rickyisms
Profile picture for user Rickyisms
Posts
4222
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
Rickyisms 6/1/2021 7:02am
6/1/2021 7:02am
Austin_Rankin wrote:
yea pretty sure you would know thus info @rickysims since your the CEO of ktm?
Jesus Christ dude you're that bothered by a joke?
1
Rickyisms
Profile picture for user Rickyisms
Posts
4222
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
Rickyisms 6/1/2021 7:09am
6/1/2021 7:09am
FGR01 wrote:
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks...
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks replace the piston setup with a bladder on first rebuild.
I've been looking into the bladder kits. Any word on how they do for the shock performance? I've seen some failures with bladder setups which makes it hard to go with.
FGR01
Profile picture for user FGR01
Posts
5112
Joined
10/1/2006
Location
AZ US
Fantasy
1222nd
FGR01 6/1/2021 7:37am
6/1/2021 7:37am
FGR01 wrote:
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks...
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks replace the piston setup with a bladder on first rebuild.
Rickyisms wrote:
I've been looking into the bladder kits. Any word on how they do for the shock performance? I've seen some failures with bladder setups which makes...
I've been looking into the bladder kits. Any word on how they do for the shock performance? I've seen some failures with bladder setups which makes it hard to go with.
Many people say the shock feels a tad more supple with the bladder. I've been running the Race Tech bladder kit about 30 hrs with no probs. Haven't heard of any probs with others.
GoggleFiend904 6/1/2021 12:26pm
6/1/2021 12:26pm
FGR01 wrote:
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks...
Stock piston reservoir is a pita for a home garage technician to properly bleed and recharge. Bladder setup is much easier which is why many folks replace the piston setup with a bladder on first rebuild.
Rickyisms wrote:
I've been looking into the bladder kits. Any word on how they do for the shock performance? I've seen some failures with bladder setups which makes...
I've been looking into the bladder kits. Any word on how they do for the shock performance? I've seen some failures with bladder setups which makes it hard to go with.
I would recommend a high end bladder kit. I had a shock body get destroyed shortly after a no name bladder was installed by my tuner at the time. The last bladder I installed was a wp one for my trax. Very high end and came highly recommended by Evan at solid performance
Rickyisms
Profile picture for user Rickyisms
Posts
4222
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
Rickyisms 6/14/2021 10:08am
6/14/2021 10:08am
Okay guys, got everything apart, inspected, and cleaned. Have all my parts to go back together, but am struggling on how to remove and replace number 18 on the drawing, Does anyone have any tips/tricks?
DynoDan22
Profile picture for user DynoDan22
Posts
775
Joined
9/7/2011
Location
Victorville, CA US
DynoDan22 6/14/2021 10:57am
6/14/2021 10:57am
If you are referring to the shaft guide bushing, it's a pressfit into the seal head. It's recommended that you have the proper bushing driver to remove and install the new one. I've seen people use a socket to do this but it's a little sketchy.
1
Rickyisms
Profile picture for user Rickyisms
Posts
4222
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
Rickyisms 6/14/2021 11:05am
6/14/2021 11:05am
DynoDan22 wrote:
If you are referring to the shaft guide bushing, it's a pressfit into the seal head. It's recommended that you have the proper bushing driver to...
If you are referring to the shaft guide bushing, it's a pressfit into the seal head. It's recommended that you have the proper bushing driver to remove and install the new one. I've seen people use a socket to do this but it's a little sketchy.
Yup that is what I am referring too, I tried a socket, but hard to find the correct size, also having some trouble getting the seal on the bottom of the seal head off (No. 20)
FGR01
Profile picture for user FGR01
Posts
5112
Joined
10/1/2006
Location
AZ US
Fantasy
1222nd
FGR01 6/14/2021 11:28am
6/14/2021 11:28am
Usually it's easier to just buy a complete replacement seal head that is already loaded with the bushing and seals.
1
Rickyisms
Profile picture for user Rickyisms
Posts
4222
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
Rickyisms 6/14/2021 12:38pm
6/14/2021 12:38pm
FGR01 wrote:
Usually it's easier to just buy a complete replacement seal head that is already loaded with the bushing and seals.
I am starting to learn that as I go...
Rickyisms
Profile picture for user Rickyisms
Posts
4222
Joined
10/5/2017
Location
FL US
Rickyisms 6/14/2021 8:24pm
6/14/2021 8:24pm
Is there a difference between a 2016 and 2018 KTM SX shock? My bike is a 16 KTM 125SX which received the new chassis and motor that the 2015.5 250 FE utilized.

Post a reply to: WP Rear shock service